World Class Poker Tour

IM curious as to the difference between a four dollar collection in the 9-18Omahahi-lo game at the commerce and paying a time collection of say 6 dollars in a 10-20 hi-lo game. I would think that due to the limited number of hands dealt in om hi-lo it’s cheaper to pay the four dollars. I am probably missing something but can’t figure it out.

Answer 1:

It really depends on the game, now, doesn’t it?  If you’re playing very tight, trying only to win a few very large pots, perhaps the rake is better. But if you expect to win more than four or so pots an hour, the time charge is better for your stack. 4 pots at $4 each = $16 Three time charges @ $6 = $18 If you drag five pots, you’re better off paying time (assuming all pots are over $40). The character of the game, of your opponents, and of your own general style of play will determine this for you. If you see a lot of showdowns, and play a high variance game, play in a time game. If you sit back, see flops but fold frequently when you hand doesn’t develop quickly, play a rake game.

Answer 2:

Let’s say you’re playing an average 9-18 game with 30 hands dealt an hour. That’s $120 an hour coming off the table. With a $6 time collection, that’s $108 an hour coming off the table. If you’re at a real slow table, you may save a bit with the button drop, but I think that’s rare, and in virtually all cases, time collection is going to cost you a lot less in the long run.

Answer 3:

The $4 charge at the Commerce is a button charge, not a rake. Therefore, it has the same effect as a time charge, except it adds up to more, as a rule, as the button comes around at least 4 times an hour.

I was in a jackpot last night beating aces full with quad queens, so, got 25% of the pot. I keep very detailed records of my hourly rate and am curious how others account for jackpot winnings against their hourly rate. Should I add this to my session win?

Answer 1:

Your play is probably affected by the jackpot, so not including it would skew your hourly rate down (since you’re probably playing in a way that loses money if there’s no jackpot). On the other hand, if you include it, you’ll skew your results upward since you’ll be affecting your hourly rate for many hands by just one result. Probably an adjustment upwards to your hourly rate would be in order, but maybe not for the whole amount of the jackpot. One approach would be to figure out what is the least amount there could be in the jackpot which would cause you to play differently, and include that amount as your winnings for the jackpot, and then use that amount to calculate your hourly rate.

Answer 2:

That is a good problem to have! I would add it to your session win. You have been penalized a dollar per pot for the jackpot rake for years.

Answer 3:

I don’t play any differently if there’s a jackpot available in a game. I play my aces full or quads aggressively. I’ve stopped playing ring games, but when i was playing or if and when I start again, I’ll count jackpots as + for “all the money I spend on poker” but not in my “hourly win rate”.